Bacon's Rebellion

Noxious Views

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Newspaper prints editorial. Readers react. Newspaper prints a sample of the reactions in their letters to the editor section. Process starts over.

At the Daily Press, however, some respondents reflect views so noxious that the editorial board can’t just print them and let go.

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform and dabbler in Virginia politics, is one who apparently holds views so noxious that they cannot be left unanswered.

Today, the DP printed a response from Norquist to their editorial of November 12th. But they also printed an editorial criticizing Norquist’s views as expressed in the letter.

I hold no brief for Grover Norquist (I love that cliche; I don’t know as I have ever “held” a “brief” for anybody). However, I find it a sign of almost pathological intolerance toward cutting taxes that the DP editorialists find it necessary to slam Norquist’s response on the same day it appears. Do they have so much contempt for their readers that they can’t let them decide for themselves between two opposing views?

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8 responses to “Noxious Views”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Ahhh, Grover and the free lunch bunch…..Good to know they are still around. It will be interesting to see how long his Americans for Tax Reform remains a force in state politics. Or, were they ever one to begin with?

    The DP is correct that free-lunch hokum appears to have lost its appeal. See election results.

    The irony, at least if you believe the Americans for Tax Reform agenda, is that it has lost its force as a result of Grover and his organizations tactics.

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    How can there be two opposing views if there is only one view presented? Papers quite often present letters and then editorial response. You just don’t notice because you don’t get all worked up when it doesn’t swing in your favor.

  3. Will Vehrs Avatar
    Will Vehrs

    I beg to differ, 12:21. The DP holds anti-tax in contempt. Norquist thinks anti-tax is the magic elixir. My point is that the DP made its position known on Nov. 12 and has made it known time and time again. Norquist writes to defend himself or to disagree, and they shoot him down–again. One side is presented twice, the other side once.

    Watch the papers for the next two weeks. Show me how many editorial responses there are to letters to the editor.

    I love the way you interpret my post as getting worked up because something doesn’t swing in my favor. You may be one of those who think everybody else is a partisan hack. I wrote that I didn’t give a hoot for Norquist, but I don’t like it when any editorial page runs a vendetta against someone, left, right, or center. I bet anyone else could have written that letter and the DP would not have responded–they might not have even printed it. They just wanted to bang on Norquist for sport. That gives the man more credit than he deserves and doesn’t reflect well on the DP.

  4. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    Jeez, we are always having to put up with Norquist crap in the Times Dispatch with very little printed responses.

  5. Will Vehrs Avatar
    Will Vehrs

    The Richmond Times-Dispatch publishes more letters to the editor than any other paper in the US. They publish plenty of “leftish” dissent to their editorials and the op-ed pieces of conservatives without feeling the need to restate their original point, or to denigrate the writer.

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    It happens all the time, Will. Why do you think some wag advised (probably about 20 years after Gutenberg) not to pick arguments with people who by ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.

  7. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    One of the only things good about being away from Home in Cally-FOUR-nye-ah for two weeks is not seeing the Daily Press. Back tonight to read this blog.

    I subscribe to the DP to know what the left hand limit of the field is on any local issue. Like watching the Today Show in the morning to get the Democrat talking points.

    It is hard to describe what they write in their editorials. ‘Petulant’ comes to mind. The image of kid stomping his feet when he doesn’t get his way. The condescending sneer of a smart kid in college who has never had a job in the real world. There must be better ones…

    Perhaps we could put in a positive light and say the Editorial Staffers of the DP are blessed with abundant spleens.

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I watch the Today show for Campbell Brown, and I’m not ashamed to admit it (behind the anonymous mask.) But yes, screaming back at those morons really raises by BP and heart rate on the eliptical.

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